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| Just a reminder to all those enquiring about night fishing and how to go about it.... Be carefull out there, especially at night on a new body of water, relying on your GPS. There were two different boating accidents last week up on Lake Vermilion where the boaters (muskie fisherman) ran their rigs into either rock piles/reefs and an island late night, because of GPS Navigation problems. One guy went through the windshield, one broke a leg and a couple of them were impaled with muskie lures from being slammed into the rocks... The causes of the accidents were GPS Navigation failures. Whether relying too much on the GPS for navigation or just not paying attention, stuff happens. GPS are not 100% accurate.
Another issue is lights... I won't even get started about all the jackasses who deem it ok to fish without their lights on with 40 other boats spot hopping at 1am on a Saturday night. Only a matter of time before something bad happens. And it'll probably happen to the poor soul who has thier lights on that will run into one of these guys... Needs to be a little more enforcement on these lakes at night.
http://www.virginiamn.com/mdn/?section_id=70&story_id=209789 |
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Posts: 14
| How fast are these guys driving? Going through the windshield, breaking legs? It is still night time, and Vermillion is not short of any rock piles or islands. |
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Posts: 7119
Location: Northwest Chicago Burbs | I personally cant imagine a fish worth taking risks like relying on GPS for navigation in the dark. I like my GPS for getting me home to a specific harbor, but to mark rocks and obstructions....there is a reason that the GPS says when it turns on "do not use this device for navigation". Mine is routinely 20-30 yards off. That in my opinion is more than enough error to run you into a rock versus into open water.
I put this quote in my blog about 4 days ago....might be applicable here. Let's be SAFE everyone! Live to fish another day!
"Pete, there ain't no war here. And this is why you're not exactly a hero for taking these chances you take. You're more of what I would call a dickhead."
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Posts: 52
| You know I heard the local radio guys on Bear facts and fish tales talking about this the other night. They attributed it to GPS error too and not to be a thread thief but isn't it the mapping software thats usually to blame (i.e. you are where your GPS puts you but parts of the topo map are misaligned/distorted). I know for practical purposes it doesn't really matter but just curious.... |
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Posts: 7119
Location: Northwest Chicago Burbs | It's pitch dark, you're driving at 50mph, and you're relying on a GPS to keep you safe? All the gizmos we use are GREAT to have in the boat, when we stop relying on common sense (drive slower, be able to see where you're going) and rely on those to keep us safe..... |
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Posts: 116
| WISCONSIN ALLOWS FOR BOATS TO ANCHOR WITHIN (I THINK) 100 FT FROM SHORE AND FISH WITHOUT LIGHTS, LEGAL BUT NOT WISE ON A BUSY LAKE |
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Posts: 734
Location: Watertown, MN | It is sad but, you also wonder who is running around at nite, Josh was guiding on the Big V and almost got hit while running by a whitel lund running full bore without lights.
Last summer had my brother on V and saw this pontoon with a bunch of adults that enjoyed a few too many adult beverages, they came through the bridge running hot, pulled up to ask for direction to the bar, I told them the needed to run around the Island, no sooner than they got thier directions the were running wide open over a reef that had exposed rocks. the needed a new prop the next morning and maybe a new lower unit.
I will rely on the GPS, but when you get around narrow runs, reefs slow down and pull out the spot light, usually have 2 chargables, and 1 plug-in in the boat at all times. Alway proceed with caution when you are in unfamiliar areas, or areas were multiple hazaard can get you.
Troyz
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| Just an FYI for everyone on Mille Lacs.... There is a wooden post about 5" in diameter in front of Barnicles (just to the east) in about 12' of water that is not marked and I think would rip a boat in half... I am glad I found this during the day and not at night!!! |
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Location: Contrarian Island | this guy must not have been relying on his GPS or his vision as he put his 40 foot Sea Ray up on the break wall at kewaunee last week...ouch.
(2007-7-22 SeaRay II.JPG)
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Posts: 2323
Location: Stevens Point, WI | Wow, I would have hate to have been the driver of that boat!
Am I the only one or does no one carry a spot light in the boat? I mean they can't help you all the time but it sure would be helpful seeing boats ahead of you late at night. Just my thought. |
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Posts: 1316
Location: Madison, WI | Looks like a painful mistake... |
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Posts: 468
Location: Not where I wanna be! | here is a good one that happened here in Iowa not too long ago....
65 feet from the water
3 am, 60 mph........ugly!!
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| These incidents have been discussed on several boards and it appears everyone is quick to blame the technology as if it is still not ready for prime time. The fundemental technology behind the newer units we are using today was developed by the aerospace industry for very accurate weapons guideance. Obviously the units we use are not permitted to run quite as accurate as a weapons system but certainly they are accurate enough to avoid an island IF USED PROPERLY in combination with a accurate maping software. The question I have is were they using newer units with current Lakemaster map? Were they zoomed out too far to see the little structure they collided with? Were they zoomed too tight and outrunning the refresh rate of their unit? |
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| or mayyyybe their B.A.C. was higher than it should have been....just a hunch.... |
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Posts: 468
Location: Not where I wanna be! | bn - 7/25/2007 9:47 AM
or mayyyybe their B.A.C. was higher than it should have been....just a hunch....
yes....i would guess so.....
common sense is what was lacking in these incidences....
but you cant buy that somewhere |
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Posts: 199
Location: Sandusky, OH | Having all the electronic navigation devices available doesn't always mean you are any safer if you don't know how to use them and aren't paying attention. We've been doing some night work on the lake the last couple weeks with a boat equiped with radar and chartplotter, and it's still amazing how things sneak up on you. We were coming in one night last week, and there were a bunch of lights on the Cedar Point breakwall. A little further down we met the Tow Boat US boat, and saw an ambulance running on shore. Seems like an hour and a half earlier, a charter captain in a 30' Fountain Sportfisherman with all the bells and whistles put in on the rocks. Was watching his gauges and not his navigation equipment. Nobody got killed, but most of the 8 people he had onboard were in the hospital. His clients were shooting footage for a fishing show; Roger Raglin from Oklahoma was onboard (I've never heard of him, but apparently he has a nice hunting and fishing show).
The only safe way to navigate at night on any water body is to first slow down!
Eric |
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Posts: 52
| If you run at ~25mph so that your sonar can validate your gps you are relatively safe. Helmet wearers and nervous nancies can go as slow as they want but honestly its not too dangerous if you know the lake at all and use a little common sense..... |
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Posts: 1769
Location: Algonquin, ILL | It does not matter what kind of Technology you have on board or how accurate it is, it's just a tool and you still need to your Eyes & Brain or Darwins Theroy will prove itself once again
I recall a few of years ago I was on a freinds boat on Lake Michigan Salmon fishing we were trolling out about 25 miles he has top of the line Radar, Gps, Depthfinders, Autopilot ETC, while trolling we came across one of those Lifeguard stations just barely floating beneath the surface, The large wooden structure did not show up on any of the electronic equipment, fourtunatly we were still watching where we were going if we had not been paying attention we would have hit it at trolling speed there probably would not have been much damage but at high speed well who knows, We called the Coast Guard gave then the coords and they came out and picked it up.
Edited by JohnMD 7/25/2007 10:28 AM
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Posts: 699
Location: Hugo, MN | Guest - 7/25/2007 5:46 PM
These incidents have been discussed on several boards and it appears everyone is quick to blame the technology as if it is still not ready for prime time. The fundemental technology behind the newer units we are using today was developed by the aerospace industry for very accurate weapons guideance. Obviously the units we use are not permitted to run quite as accurate as a weapons system but certainly they are accurate enough to avoid an island IF USED PROPERLY in combination with a accurate maping software. The question I have is were they using newer units with current Lakemaster map? Were they zoomed out too far to see the little structure they collided with? Were they zoomed too tight and outrunning the refresh rate of their unit?
The problem is not with the GPS Satellites those with WAAS are acurate to 3M(9ft). The problem is with the maps they are not accurate enough representations of the actual structure of lakes. I don't care if you have the 1M resolution maps which I have because I thought they would do a great job. They aren't good enough. There is no substitute for actually knowing where you are and what you need to do to get home. Moreover, throw the pitch black darkness of places like Vermillion to disorient you and it's a recipe for some tough luck if you think you're good enough to blaze across the lake at 50 Mph. Not to mention the effects of varying water levels. Bottom line Go Slow, take your time and you should arrive home safe. Happy Boating folks. |
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Location: Athens, Ohio | Let's see if this loads up, from the BBC boards. m
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Posts: 317
| It blows my mind that people drive 25+ at night, navi or no. Rocks and reefs are one thing, floating crap is something no map can show. Slow down, put your lights on, and have a spotlight for cripes sake! |
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Posts: 434
Location: searchin for 50 | Not to mention the waterfowl that is on the water. Few close calls with feathered things out there.  |
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| Am I the only one or does no one carry a spot light in the boat? I mean they can't help you all the time but it sure would be helpful seeing boats ahead of you late at night. Just my thought.
i carry a spotlight (5mil candlepower) but use it sparingly, and only to confirm nearshore stuff that i need to see.
please do not drive around the lake shining bright spotlights. it blinds other boaters as well as annoying the heck out of lake home owners.
slowing down is the #1 way to be safe at night, and if you're near a tricky area to navigate, slow down even more.
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| If I'm not under power at night and have a boat approaching quickly I have no qualms about shining them briefly and then running the spot right in front of their bow (like I'm reading their #s) till they are out of my range. Amazing how many slow down and turn on their running lights. Guess who they think you are?
It's easy enough to get run over during the day, night is 10x as bad. Don't wait until it's to late. |
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| I've seen it in the middle of the day!
I was on Cass in Allens Bay fishing "The Boomerang". A boat came around the island, and the guy in the back had a hand-hald GPS held at head level. He stared at it while the guy in the other seat tried to sneak a peak. Both of them glued to the screen and coming right at me. I waited until they were 100 yards away and then I laid on my horn. Neither guy looked up until they were about 25 yards away, and then the passenger grabbed the drivers arm and pulled on it to avoid contact.
Apparently they were following their track from the night before and were zeroing in on their 'hot spot'. |
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Posts: 2754
Location: Mauston, Wisconsin | Beav- Obviously you were the hot spot!!!!
"Idiot's are like flowers, they pop up in the least expected places." AW 2007
Have fun!
Al |
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Posts: 20281
Location: oswego, il | I fish Rice bay on lake vermillion with my kids alot and it has a public launch. It is another lake really and there is a creek you have to naviagte to get into it. I have been fishing it at dark and seen big boats full speed going through the creek. It has a couple blind corners in it. I would not even do that during the day as people fish in there. I was coming out of the creek once at dark and seen a boat coming my way and I had to about run my boat into shore to avoid it, as it was I dinged my prop. I really don't get what goes through some peoples heads when they are out on the water. |
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Posts: 3926
| As I posted a couple weeks ago, at 4:30am running about 15mph I was momentarily blinded as a girlfriend (wearing Cat's Eyes headlights) tried to talk to me from the front seat. After no more than 10 seconds she turned her head away again and 1 second later I saw I was 10 feet away from a very large white object, looked like a ski jump to me. Turned the tiller to swipe it and hoped the impact wouldn't flip the boat. Impact was a "blloooooopppp" as I bounced off one of those huge blow-up raft/slides. Yep, a big balloon. But if it was really a solid structure......
I thought it a good reminder about nightime safety.
ps - I picked up a USCG Boating Safety booklet the other day. Interesting that many "mistakes" we see all the time are actually felonies.
Edited by Ranger 7/26/2007 7:24 PM
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| I fish the St. lawerance 1000 island after dark all the time and the great lake navionic chip is dead on. I feel completely comfortable running after dark there relying on the GPS. The other guy always is looking for other boats and lights are alway on. I also fish eagle, vermillon and other complex water and the map cards I have for them are not as accurate. Things that need to be remember unless you know the water well don't run 50 foot off shore where there maybe rocks. Second use the card in the day to see how accurate it is and not anything thats not accurate. There is a reef at eagle think it is called vikings reef that is a good .5 mile off in its location and it comes about a foot out of the water that would ruin a trip fast. just be careful and pay attention and if there is fog or it is snowing don't run I had a bass boat go b y me at Chautauqua in fog going full throttle that was uncalled for. good luck be safe. |
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